The Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...

is an

interdisciplinary Interdisciplinarity or interdisciplinary studies involves the combination of multiple academic disciplines into one activity (e.g., a research project). It draws knowledge from several other fields like sociology, anthropology, psychology, ec ...

academic centre. It offers various research and educational programs related to the field of

globalization Globalization, or globalisation (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences), is the process of interaction and integration among people, companies, and governments worldwide. The term ''globalization'' first appeared in the early 20t ...

. It is located in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

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, offers master's degrees in

global affairs International relations (IR), sometimes referred to as international studies and international affairs, is the scientific study of interactions between sovereign states. In a broader sense, it concerns all activities between states—such as ...

and

public policy Public policy is an institutionalized proposal or a decided set of elements like laws, regulations, guidelines, and actions to solve or address relevant and real-world problems, guided by a conception and often implemented by programs. Public p ...

, and a master's degree in European, Russian and Asia-Pacific studies. This school is a member of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA). It also works in group of schools that educate students in international affairs. The Munk School's Master of Global Affairs program typically receives 500 and 600 applicants per year and offers 80 students entry into its program. The Munk School is located in the north and south wings of the Devonshire House building on Devonshire Place, which is in

Trinity College Trinity College may refer to: Australia * Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales * Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...

's John W. Graham Library. In 2012, the school opened a second location in the Observatory building at 315 Bloor Street West (formerly the university's Admissions and Awards building), which is the offices of the

Citizen Lab The Citizen Lab is an interdisciplinary laboratory based at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, Canada. It was founded by Ronald Deibert in 2001. The laboratory studies information controls that impact the openness ...

and the Master of Global Affairs program. The Master of Public Policy is headquartered at the Canadiana Gallery next to the Legislature of Ontario.

History

Founded in 2000 as the Munk Centre for International Studies, it was named after

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

businessman and philanthropist

Peter Munk Peter Munk (November 8, 1927 – March 28, 2018) was a Hungarian-Canadian businessman, investor, and philanthropist. He was the founder and chief executive officer of a number of high-profile business ventures, including the hi-fi electronics co ...

, who made a $6.4 million donation to finance the construction. It occupies the historic Devonshire House, a former residential hall of the university's

, and opened a second location in 2012 at 315 Bloor Street West after an $80 million collective contribution from the Peter and Melanie Munk Foundation, the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario. The school was criticized by students and faculty for accepting $35 million from Peter Munk and for the terms of agreement between the school and Peter Munk. The Canadian Foreign Policy Institute stated that Peter Munk's far-right views were incompatible with the mandate of the school. Paul Hamel and John Valleau, faculty members at the University of Toronto, stated that the agreement will reduce academic independence, permit the Munk family to shape the academic work, and allow the Munk family to determine the university's priorities in place of the faculty and students,. Additionally, several students and faculty criticized the decision to name the school after Munk, citing allegations of environmental damage and human rights violations by

Barrick Gold Barrick Gold Corporation is a mining company that produces gold and copper with 16 operating sites in 13 countries. It is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It has mining operations in Argentina, Canada, Chile, Côte d'Ivoire, Democrati ...

in foreign countries. The mining company was founded by Munk and was the principal source of his wealth. On April 6, 2018, the University of Toronto announced that the Munk School of Global Affairs would merge with the university's School of Public Policy and Governance to become the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. The merger took effect on July 1, 2018. The School of Public Policy and Governance was a

and

public administration Public Administration (a form of governance) or Public Policy and Administration (an academic discipline) is the implementation of public policy, administration of government establishment (public governance), management of non-profit establ ...

school that was founded in 2006. The Master of Public Policy program and many public policy scholars remain headquartered in the Canadiana Gallery at 14 Queen's Park Crescent West. The Munk School offers a two-year Master of Public Policy (MPP) program, with a core curriculum emphasizing practical and applied dimensions of policymaking. The program also includes a paid internship during the summer between the first and second years. The school has internship partners that include the Canadian Federal Public Service, the Ontario Public Service, the

City of Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most pop ...

, the

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, as well as many

non-governmental organization A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...

s and research

think tank A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governmenta ...

s. The Munk School housed the

Mowat Centre The Mowat Centre was an independent Canadian public policy think tank associated with the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at thUniversity of Toronto It was established in 2009 with support from the government of Ontario, and publish ...

for Policy Innovation – an independent, non-partisan public policy think tank – until the Centre closed in April 2019. In spring 2024, the Munk School was labeled as an “ undesirable organization” in Russia.

Leadership

The founding director was Janice Stein, who held the position until 2014. The school was then headed by Stephen Toope until 2017, when he became the 346th Vice-Chancellor of the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

. After Toope's departure, the interim director was

Randall Hansen Randall Hansen is a political scientist and historian at the University of Toronto, where he has held a Canada Research Chair in Political science, Political Science since 2005. He is the Director of the Centre for European, Russian, and Eurasian ...

, who served as head of the School's Centre for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies. On November 12, 2019, Michael Sabia was named as the Munk School's director, starting in February 2020. He served in that role until December 2020, when he was appointed by the

Government of Canada The government of Canada (french: gouvernement du Canada) is the body responsible for the federal administration of Canada. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown is the corporation sole, assuming distinct roles: the executive, as the ''Crown ...

as Deputy Minister of Finance. Professor Cheryl Misak was announced as the interim director of the Munk School, effective December 15, 2020. Peter Loewen was appointed Director in November 2021.

Academics

Master's degrees

The Munk School offers two

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

s – a Master of Global Affairs (MGA) and a Master of Public Policy (MPP). The Master of Global Affairs (MGA) program is a two-year interdisciplinary professional degree with curriculum covering global and financial systems, global civil society, and global strategic and security issues. The program requires students to complete a relevant internship with an NGO, an international organization such as the UN or WTO, or at an embassy or consulate abroad. Admission to the MGA is highly selective with 500 to 600 annual applicants for 80 first-year placements. After a general first year of study, students specialize in one of three areas: Global Economy and Markets, Global Civil Society, or Global Institutions. MGA students can also complete their degrees concurrently with an MBA at the

Rotman School of Management The Joseph L. Rotman School of Management (commonly known as the Rotman School of Management, the Rotman School or just Rotman) is the University of Toronto's graduate business school, located in Downtown Toronto. The University of Toronto has be ...

or with a JD at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. The Munk School's MGA can also been taken as one half of a duel degree with either

Sciences Po , motto_lang = fr , mottoeng = Roots of the Future , type = Public university, Public research university''Grande école'' , established = , founder = Émile Boutmy , a ...

, Hertie School of Governance, or the

London School of Economics , mottoeng = To understand the causes of things , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £240.8 million (2021) , budget = £391.1 millio ...

(LSE). The Master of Public Policy (MPP) program is a two-year professional degree, emphasizing practical and applied dimensions of policymaking. Approximately 80 students are admitted each year. Core courses include micro and macroeconomics, legal analysis, political science and quantitative methods for policy analysis. The curriculum also includes five electives on domestic policy, law, and international policy, taken either at the Munk School or other graduate departments on the University of Toronto campus. The school frequently invites public sector leaders and external researchers to lecture and expose students to senior professionals in government and the broader public, private and community sectors. Students are required to complete an internship during the summer between the first and second year. The school internship partners include the Canadian Federal Public Service, the Ontario Public Service, the

, the

, as well as many

s and research

s. Second year MPP students can compete for exchanges with partner institutions in Europe and Asia, including The Hertie School of Governance (Berlin), Sciences Po's Paris School of International Affairs (Paris), The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (Singapore), and the National Graduate Institute for Public Policy (Japan).

Other graduate degrees

The Munk School also offers joint degrees, including the Collaborative Master’s/PhD Program in South Asian Studies, the Collaborative Master’s Program in Asia-Pacific Studies, the Ethnic and Pluralism Studies Collaborative Graduate Program, and the Dynamics of Global Change Collaborative Doctoral Program.

Undergraduate degrees

Established as a degree program in 1985 and as a centre in 2001, the Trudeau Centre for Peace, Conflict and Justice administers the Peace, Conflict and Justice (PCJ) undergraduate programme in the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. The PCJ programme, while administered by the Munk School, is a joint initiative with the Faculty of Arts & Science. Students are required to take several Arts & Science courses to complete the programme – including in political science, economics, statistics, psychology and international relations, among others. The Centre grew out of the Peace and Conflict Studies programme established by

Anatol Rapaport Anatol Rapoport ( uk, Анатолій Борисович Рапопо́рт; russian: Анато́лий Бори́сович Рапопо́рт; May 22, 1911January 20, 2007) was an American mathematical psychologist. He contributed to general ...

in the early 1980s. In 1990, Thomas Homer-Dixon assumed the Directorship and continued in that role through 2001 when the programme was institutionalized as the Trudeau Centre. Homer-Dixon's Directorship ended in 2007. In addition to the PCJ programme, the Munk School offers several undergraduate academic programmes through the Faculty of Arts & Science. These include American Studies, Contemporary Asian Studies, European Studies, Hungarian Studies, Public Policy, South Asian Studies, as well as the Munk One Program, a first-year undergraduate seminar series. Unlike the PCJ programme, while these programmes’ courses are taught and syllabi are set by Munk School instructors, the Faculty of Arts & Science administers the programmes and sets rules for enrolment and completion.

Admissions

Admission to the two-year professional Master of Public Policy program is highly competitive. The school typically receives 600+ applications for only 80 first year spots. Candidates are selected on a holistic basis. At minimum candidates are required to have a four-year bachelor's degree, with a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) in the final year of undergraduate studies of 3.3 out of a possible 4.0 or a B standing. However, due to the high volume of applications there are many more highly qualified candidates than first year spots and simply meeting the minimum requirements is unlikely to be sufficient to gain admission. The school assesses candidates based on 5 factors: an online application form, a statement of purpose, a resume or curriculum vitae, 2 letters of academic recommendation, and an applicant's academic record. In addition, candidates may provide up to an additional two letters of reference from another source (for example, from an employer or volunteer organization). In determining admission the school considers a strong application one that has a high level of cohesion between the 5 supporting documents and the structure and learning objectives of the MPP program.

Scholarships

The Cadario Fellowship in Public Policy is an academic and monetary award given to the top students in their second year of the program. The award was created and named after Paul Cadario, a senior manager with the

World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Interna ...

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...

and

alumnus Alumni (singular: alumnus (masculine) or alumna (feminine)) are former students of a school, college, or university who have either attended or graduated in some fashion from the institution. The feminine plural alumnae is sometimes used for grou ...

of the

, after he donated $1 million to U of T's School of Public Policy and Governance.U of T Magazine
/ref> MPP students have also been awarded many other prestigious external scholarships and awards, including Cancer Care ON grants, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) grants,

Ontario Graduate Scholarship The Ontario Graduate Scholarship(s) (OGS) program offers, merit based, annual scholarships to eligible students who will pursue graduate studies in order to complete a master's degree, PhD or doctorate at a university in Ontario, Canada. The stu ...

s (OGS), and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) grants.

Student life

Public Policy and Governance Review

The ''Public Policy and Governance Review'' (PPGR) is a student-led digital magazine that showcases writing on public affairs by students, academics, and leaders in the policy world. The PPGR is a platform for bold and thoughtful analysis, and for diverse perspectives on contemporary policy debates and discussions. The publication is funded by and housed at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. Graduate students from Munk manage its content, development, and operations.

Public Good Initiative

The Public Good Initiative (PGI) is a student-led project that pairs students from the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy with community organizations that can benefit from pro bono consulting services. The PGI has worked with organizations that include United Way Toronto, Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation, Toronto City Summit Alliance, Maytree Foundation, People for Education, BC Centre for Social Enterprise, Mid Toronto Community Services and the Ontario Association of Food Banks.

Beyond the Headlines

Beyond the Headlines (BTH) is a weekly radio show that provides fair and balanced analysis of pressing public policy issues in Canada. The one-hour program airs from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST every Monday on CIUT 89.5FM, the University of Toronto’s campus radio station. BTH is staffed by students (both current and alumni) who are members of the Munk School community. After its first year on the air, BTH was voted “Best New Talk Show” on CIUT 89.5FM. Since its founding in 2012, BTH has interviewed notable politicians, public servants, academics and activists, such as

Josh Colle Josh Colle () is a Canadian politician. He was the councillor for Ward 15 on Toronto City Council for the years 2010-2018.Lynn Morrison Lynn may refer to: People and fictional characters * Lynn (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Lynn (surname) * The Lynns, a 1990s American country music duo consisting of twin sisters Peggy and Patsy Lynn * Lynn ( ...

Mitzie Hunter Mitzie Jacquelin Hunter (born September 14, 1971) is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She is a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario who was first elected in a by-election on August 1, 2013 and later re-elected in the elections ...

, Mike Layton, Tony Dean, Daiene Vernile, Laurie Scott,

Peter Singer Peter Albert David Singer (born 6 July 1946) is an Australian moral philosopher, currently the Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University. He specialises in applied ethics and approaches ethical issues from a secular, ...

Garfield Dunlop Garfield Dunlop is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1999 to 2015 who represented the riding of Simcoe North. He resigned from the legislature in 2015 in ...

, Greg Sorbara,

Ron Atkey Ronald George Atkey, (February 15, 1942 – May 9, 2017) was a Canadian lawyer, law professor and politician. Background Atkey graduated in 1962 from the University of Western Ontario, and was a member of the Kappa Alpha Society while in uni ...

, and

Michael Geist Michael Allen Geist (born July 11, 1968) is a Canadian academic, the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-Commerce Law at the University of Ottawa and a member of the Centre for Law, Technology and Society. Geist was educated at the Univers ...

Cadario Fellowship in Public Policy

and

of the

, after he donated $1 million to U of T’s School of Public Policy and Governance.

Research centres, labs and initiatives

* Asian Institute ** Asian Pathways Research Lab ** Centre for South Asian Studies ** Centre for the Study of Korea ** Dr. David Chu Program in Asia-Pacific Studies ** East Asia Seminar Series ** Global Taiwan Studies Initiative ** Southeast Asia Seminar Series ** Tea Circle Forum * Centre for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies ** Petro Jacyk Program for the Study of Ukraine ** Centre for the Study of France and the Francophone World ** The Joint Initiative in German and European Studies ** Eurasia Initiative ** Global Migration Lab * Centre for the Study of Global Japan * Centre for the Study of the United States * Harney Program in Ethnic, Immigration and Pluralism Studies * Trudeau Centre for Peace, Conflict and Justice * The Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary International History (jointly overseen by Trinity College) *

for Policy Innovation (closed 2019)University of Toronto Press Release
/ref>A New Ontario Window on National Policy
/ref> *

* Global Economic Policy Lab * Global Justice Lab * Global Migration Lab * Innovation Policy Lab * Policy, Elections & Representation Lab * Urban Policy Lab * People's History Lab * Belt & Road in Global Perspective * Future Skills * Global Ideas Institute *Local Government Revenue Initiative (LoGRI) *Ontario 360 *Reach Alliance

Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation

The

for Policy Innovation was an independent, non-partisan public policy

housed in the Munk School. It undertook applied public policy research and engaged in public dialogue on federal issues important to the prosperity and quality of life of Ontario and Canada. The Mowat Centre had a mandate that proposed innovative, research-driven public policy recommendations that work on behalf of Canadians in all regions of the country, including Ontario. The Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation was established in 2009 with $5 million in seed funding from the Ontario Provincial government. The centre was named after Oliver Mowat, Ontario's longest serving premier and a father of confederation.

Notable faculty

Mel Cappe Melvin Samuel Cappe, (born December 3, 1948) is a retired Canadian civil servant and diplomat. From 2006 to 2011 he was the President and CEO of the Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP) in Montreal, Quebec. He was most recently Canada's ...

* Ian D. Clark * Tony Dean *

Joseph Heath Joseph Heath (born 1967) is a Canadian philosopher. He is professor of philosophy at the University of Toronto, where he was formerly the director of the '' Centre for Ethics''. He also teaches at the School of Public Policy and Governance. He ...

Bob Rae Robert Keith Rae (born August 2, 1948) is a Canadian diplomat and former politician who is the current Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations since 2020. He previously served as the 21st premier of Ontario from 1990 to 1995, leader of the ...

Ritu Birla Ritu Birla is an historian of modern South Asia. She is an associate Professor of History and is formerly the Richard Charles Lee Director of the Asian Institute and former Director of the Centre for South Asian Studies at the Munk School of Glo ...

References

External links

*
Centres and Programmes at the Munk SchoolUniversity of Toronto School of Public Policy and Governance2012-13 SPPG brochure2007-08 SPPG brochurePublic Policy and Governance ReviewThe Mowat CentreThe Public Policy and Governance PortalSPPG on Twitter
{{Authority control University of Toronto Schools of international relations 2000 establishments in Canada Organizations listed in Russia as undesirable